Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been formally indicted by Brazil’s Federal Police for allegedly falsifying his own COVID-19 vaccination data, a development that adds to a growing list of legal woes for the controversial far-right figure. This first-time indictment accuses Bolsonaro and 16 others of altering public health records to show they had received the vaccine when, in fact, they had not.
According to the indictment, Bolsonaro and his aides were involved in tampering with the health ministry’s database to create false vaccination certificates, allowing them entry into the United States. The deception reportedly occurred shortly before Bolsonaro traveled to the U.S. in December 2022, after losing his reelection bid to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. During his presidency, Bolsonaro had publicly dismissed the severity of the virus and disregarded vaccine efficacy, encouraging Brazilians to follow his lead.
The indictment alleges, “Evidence collected shows Bolsonaro acted willingly when he allegedly ordered the false data to be added into the country’s health system.” Furthermore, it asserts that “The investigation found several false insertions between November 2021 and December 2022, and also many actions of using fraudulent documents.”
The implications for Bolsonaro are severe. If convicted on charges of falsifying health data and criminal association, the ex-president could face a prison sentence ranging from two to 12 years. However, it’s Brazil’s prosecutor-general’s office that holds the power to decide whether to advance these charges to the Supreme Court.
Bolsonaro’s defense has labeled the indictment as “absurd,” with his lawyer, Fabio Wajngarten, contending that “The whole world knows Bolsonaro’s personal opinion on the subject of vaccination,” and asserting that the indictment is a form of “political persecution.” Nevertheless, during his term, Bolsonaro indeed neglected several offers from Pfizer for vaccine purchases and criticized vaccine procurement by others, including the governor of São Paulo, who had acquired vaccines from Sinovac.
The far-right leader’s legal battles extend beyond this indictment. He faces several other probes, including allegations of his involvement in an attempted coup to remain in power and a suspected uprising in Brasília akin to the U.S. Capitol riot. Despite being ruled ineligible to run for office until 2030 by Brazil’s top electoral court, Bolsonaro retains a staunch allegiance among his supporters, evident in recent demonstrations against what they perceive as political persecution.
Relevant articles:
– Brazil’s Bolsonaro is indicted for first time over alleged falsification of his own vaccination data
– Brazil’s former President Jair Bolsonaro indicted for allegedly falsifying Covid vaccination data, CNN, Tue, 19 Mar 2024 19:37:00 GMT
– Brazil police accuse former President Jair Bolsonaro of falsifying COVID-19 vaccination data, JURIST, Wed, 20 Mar 2024 21:43:13 GMT
– Brazil’s Bolsonaro is indicted for 1st time over alleged falsification of his vaccination status, The Associated Press, Tue, 19 Mar 2024 19:31:04 GMT